Jaime Gilbert
by Clemences-are-so-sexy
Summary: What would happen if Elena was more like Katerina and Tatia Petrova than first thought? Welcome to Mystic Falls, a town where the supernatural is the norm. Follow Elena Gilbert, her brother Jeremy and baby sister Jaime as they traverse from the world of normal to the world of the things that go bump in the night.
1. Prologue

**Welcome to the story formally known as:**

**Jaime Gilbert (for the time being - may think of a better name later)**

**Read, Review, Enjoy**

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

The agony-filled scream is followed by heavy panting and a few sobs. The female lying on the hospital bed, face bright red, hair ruffled, cheeks tear-stained and her chest and 9-months pregnant stomach heaving. The grip her hand has on the male next to her relaxes. He leans forward to kiss her on the forehead seconds before the next contraction hits her and she is screaming once again, her grip on his hand bruising.

"One more push," the doctor at the end of the bed reports as the several minute long contraction ends.

"Just one more push," the male with the bruised hand whispers to her as he goes to stand by the doctor, ready to do his job. "One more push and they'll be here. You can do this, just one more push."

As the next contraction hits, she pushes with all her might, fists clenching the sheets between her fingers. A teary, sob-filled scream wrenches from her throat and her eyes scrunch shut. The blackness surrounds her and all she can hear is her own scream and the shouts of the male and the doctor. She screams for a few minutes as her body attempts to force her baby out of her and she pushes to help. But then, over her screaming, she hears the joyous sounds of a baby screaming. Her own screams die down as the baby's pick up in strength and volume and her eyes flutter open to a glorious sight.

The male stands at the end of her bed, with a wriggling, red, screaming bundle of baby held in his hands. She watches dazed and exhausted as the male snips the chord and hands the baby off to a nurse to be cleaned of all the blood. She closes her eyes and releases a breathy laugh, opening her eyes when she hears a laugh is joining her own; the male is smiling in front of her, holding a bundle in his arms. She scooches over on the bed as he steps forward to sit beside her, moving the precious bundle into her arms as he rests beside her.

"You did it," he whispers and lightly kisses her on the forehead as she gently touches the face of the tiny life in her arms - un-able to stop her tears. "Our daughter. We did it… she's here!"

The pair laugh together and quietens when the baby girl between them opens her eyes to look at her parents. The male places a gentle hand on her head as he mother shifts her to a comfortable spot in the crook of her elbow.

"Hello Jaime," she whispers with a smile. "Welcome to the world."

* * *

**I'll leave that on a cliff hanger.**

**Make sure to review!**


	2. Pilot - Part 1

**Welcome to the story formally known as:**

**Jaime Gilbert (for the time being - may think of a better name later)**

**Read, Review, Enjoy**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I do NOT own the Vampire Diaries.**

**Any familiar characters and lines I do not own.**

**Jaime, though, is my creation and all original or added lines associated with her are mine.**

* * *

_For over a century I have lived in secret. Hiding in the shadows. Alone in the world. Until now. I'm a vampire. And this is my story._

* * *

"An hour drive to hear that crap." The man driving the car down the dark road complained to the blonde woman sitting next to him. "Y'know it wasn't even a band," he ranted. "It was a guy with a guitar. An hour each way." He shook his head to the amusement of his companion.

"It wasn't that bad," she said with a smile.

"He sounded like James Blunt," the man mono-toned.

"What's wrong with that?" the woman laughed.

"We already have a James Blunt. One's all we need."

"So why did you come?" the blonde asked, smiling slightly from the man's previous humour.

"Because I love you," he replied smiling.

"Nicely done," the woman smiled at him, before turning her attention to the road. "What's with all the fog?" she asked, confused as to the sudden gathering of the stuff.

"It'll clear in a sec-"

"WATCH OUT!" the woman screamed seconds before the man she had just seen in the fog was run over by their car. He bounced off the bonnet, smashing into the windscreen before flying over the top of the car. The car itself, with the brakes slamming on, spun until it screeched to halt metres away from the body now lying on the road.

The occupants of the car were panting, scared and freaked by what had just happened.

"Are you ok?" the man asked his love hurriedly, she was his first priority. Always.

She was too shaken to answer. "We just hit someone! Oh my god!"

"Call for help," the man ordered, before he un-did his seatbelt with shaky hands and stepped out of the car and onto the road on equally shaky legs.

As the man jogged over to the still body on the road, the blonde in the car had her phone to her ear as she tried to call for an ambulance. "Come on," she muttered. "Come on." Tears slowly slid from her eyes.

The man was at the body now. "Please be alive," he breathed as he crouched. When he reached out a hand to touch the hand of the victim, vaguely noting the large ring on his finger, all he felt was cold. "Oh my god."

Suddenly the body on the road sat up and a strong hand grasped the neck of the man before him. Faster than a human, the previously dead body was behind the man and sharp teeth bit hard into his neck.

The blonde woman still in the car opened her seatbelt and stepped out the car. "There's no signal!" she shouted to her boyfriend. But only silence answered her.

"Darren?" she yelled. "Darren?!"

A loud thump comes from behind her and she turned to a sight she wished to un-see. Her boyfriend, her Darren, was lying on the hood of their car with a large wound in his neck. Obviously dead.

She screamed and started to run. She had only got a few metres though before she was dragged into the air with one last, blood-curdling scream. Then… the road was silent.

* * *

**THE VAMPIRE DIARIES**

* * *

A man, a teenager, stood on the roof of an old looking house. His brown hair shone in the sunlight.

_I shouldn't have come home. I know the risk. But I had no choice. I have to know her._

The male then jumped off the roof of the house and landed gracefully and un-harmed on the ground below.

* * *

_Dear Diary, today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say "I'm fine, thank you." "Yes, I feel much better."_

The brown haired girl sat on her bed as she wrote in her diary.

_I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through._

Stood in front of her mirror, the teenager took a deep breath, preparing herself for the day ahead. She almost seemed to hesitate, but then with one last glance at the pictures stuck to her mirror - pictures of her family - she was ready and made her way out of the room.

* * *

In the kitchen of the house, a woman stood by the open fridge. "Toast," she suggested. "I can make toast."

"It's all about the coffee Aunt Jenna," the brown-haired girl mused as she poured the brewed pot into her mug.

"Is there coffee?" another voice asked and a brown-haired teenage boy made his way into the room, heading straight for his sister and stealing her full mug out of her hand. She shrugged helplessly as her caffeine was taken away from her.

Not noticing their antics, Jenna continued to move around the kitchen. "Your first day of school and I'm _totally_ unprepared."

Jenna made her way back to her niece and nephew and held out her hands, filled with cash. "Lunch money?" she asked as the girl poured herself _another_ mug of coffee.

"I'm good," she answered easily. The boy just snatched the money out of his aunt's hand.

"Anything else?" Jenna asked as she went back to the table to pack her bag. "A number 2 pencil?" she asked jokingly. "What am I missing?"

"Don't you have a big presentation today?" the girl asked as she stood at the kitchen bench and made her breakfast.

Jenna looked at her watch as the girl asked. "I have a meeting with my thesis advisor at… now," she realised. "Crap!"

"Then go," the girl sighed. "We'll be fine."

Jenna just smiled and rushed out the room with her bag, leaving the two teenagers in the kitchen.

"You ok?" the girl asked of her brother.

"Don't start," was his short reply as he made his way out the kitchen with his coffee.

"Don't wake up Jaime!" the girl shouted after him.

"I won't Elena!" was what he shouted back.

Both teenagers missed the new report on the television about the two people who were killed recently: Darren Malloy, 24 and Brooke Fenton, 22.

* * *

The girl, Elena, made her way back upstairs after she'd eaten her breakfast and headed straight for the small bedroom at the end of the hall. She quietly opened the door and made her way into the room. Ignoring the colourful blue walls, and stepping over toys, she made her way to the small single bed pushed against the wall by the window.

Elena gently sat down on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on the arm of the young girl sleeping there.

"Jaime," she whispered as she shook her arm gently. "Jaime wake up."

When she received no response, Elena moved to plan B. Tickling. Her hands dove on the small child and finally after only seconds, the three year-old was giggling and laughing; trying to escape Elena's grasp. When Elena's tickling ceased, Jaime sat up with her dark hair messy in its small plait and her brown eyes shining. "Mornin' 'Lena!" she chirped and Elena couldn't help but smile at her.

"Morning Little Sister," she smiled at the toddler. "You ready for pre-school?"

Instantly the smile that had lit up the child's face disappeared. "Me no wanna go school 'Lena!" the girl huffed. "Me no wanna!" What followed was gibberish to Elena. At three years-old, most of what she said was understandable, but still Jaime tended to speak in her own language.

"You have to Jaime," Elena sighed, even as she was hit with puppy dog eyes. "Now come on. Let's get you dressed. We'll be leaving soon." Standing up, Elena picked up the toddler and hugged her close as she crossed the room to reach Jaime's small closet that contained her clothes, books and some toys and old supplies. Throwing open the doors, Elena kissed the forehead of her sister. "C'mon. Let's make you look all nice and pretty!"

* * *

Nice and pretty was not the look achieved when Elena and Jaime left her room ten minutes later. After picking out clothes (Denim Dungarees, a Superman shirt and a pair of tiny red tennis shoes), going to the toilet (by herself), doing her hair (a neat plait) and then getting dressed… Jaime looked as though she was ready for a day of playing in the garden. Not pre-school. But then again, even at three, Jaime wasn't the biggest fan of 'pink' and 'pretty'.

As soon as Jaime had her clothes on, she was walking out the room and at the stairs in an instant, preferring to scooch down on her bottom than wait for her big sister to carry her down. Once she was at the bottom of the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen and stood expectantly in front of the kitchen bench. Elena sighed when she saw her sister, and walking over, scooped her up to sit on the side while she prepared her breakfast of cereal. Once the plastic bowl and spoon were safely in the hands of the toddler, and a bib was placed on her front, Elena set about getting herself ready for the arrival of Bonnie Bennett; her best friend, who was driving her to school.

The boy, who had been in his bedroom, came bounding down the stairs with his backup slung over his shoulder. He walked into the kitchen quickly and made his way to his baby sister. Kissing her on the head quickly he muttered a quick, "Have a good day Squirt!", before he was gone, barely hearing his reply.

"Bye bye Jer!"

* * *

Jaime sat idly in the lounge room while she waited. She'd just finished cleaning her teeth a minute ago and now she was bored. 'Lena was getting ready, Jer was gone and she was alone. And bored. That was until she spotted a ball lying on the ground. Oooh, that looked fun. She slid off the sofa and crawled to the ball rather than walking to it.

Picking up the ball in her hand, she flopped back to the ground, lying on her back so she could throw the ball in the air and catch it. Or at least attempt to. She missed half the time. Didn't stop her from trying again though. And again. And again. And again. And ag-

_RING RING!_

Oooh! The door!

Elena in that moment came down stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder. "Jaime!" she yelled. "C'mon it's time to go!"

The toddler made a break for it, running from the lounge and out into the hallway, attempting to make her way up the stairs and to safety. _Attempting_ being the key word. Elena caught her round the waist and pulled her struggling body close. Ignoring the flailing fists and kicking legs - not to mention the loud screams - Elena made her way to the front door and opened it.

Bonnie Bennett stood on the front porch with a smile on her face. "Need a hand?" she asked.

* * *

"So, Grams is telling me I'm psychic," Bonnie chuckled as she, Elena and Jaime sat in her car. They were currently driving to the only pre-school in their town of Mystic Falls. "Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!" Bonnie was so caught up in her tale that she didn't notice Elena's gaze drifting to the cemetery they were driving past.

"But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands. . ."

Bonnie turned to Elena, expecting a response or a smile. She only frowned when she noticed Elena had fazed. "Elena!" she yelled and Elena jumped in shock as she faced Bonnie. Jaime giggled in the back of the car.

"Back in the car!" Bonnie laughed, smiling back at Jaime who was sitting in her toddler car-seat.

"I did it again, didn't I?" Elena sighed. "I-I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me that. . ." Elena tried to gather a thought.

"That she's a witch now 'Lena!" Jaime chirped from the back seat.

Elena gasped in fake shock, reaching back a hand to wiggle one of Jaime's feet. "Really?!" she gasped, causing a laugh to erupt out of Bonnie. She turned to the girl.

"Right. Ok, then predict something. About me." Elena commanded.

"I see. . ." Bonnie smirked. But then only seconds later, a crow flew into the windscreen of the car. With a gasp, Bonnie turned the wheel and the car spun to a stop in the street.

"What was that?!" Bonnie was freaked, and then remembered her passengers. "Oh my god! Elena, Jaime, are you ok?"

Elena glanced back at her sister, breathing through her memory-induced panic. "It's ok. We're fine."

"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere." Bonnie was trying to reassure her best friend. She knew that would've been… _difficult_ for her all things considered.

"Really," Elena assured Bonnie as she regained control of her racing heart. "I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life."

"I predict this year is going to be kick ass." Bonnie nodded firmly at her prediction, and a smile bloomed on her face as Elena's face grew its own small smile. "And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are going to be beyond happy."

"'Lena Bonnie said a bad word!" The childish proclamation had laughs escaping from Elena and Bonnie as Bonnie re-started the car and continued on their way to the pre-school.

The elder girls didn't notice as they drove by it, but little Jaime frowned at the black crow, perched on top of the Mystic Falls street sign.

* * *

"You make sure you have fun today alright?" Elena was fussing over Jaime as the pair stood on the steps of Mystic Falls only pre-school.

"Don't wanna go 'Lena. School's no fun." Jaime was pouting and tears were seconds from running down her face.

"I know," Elena soothed, running her hand gently over the girl's cheek. "I know you don't want to go, but you have to Jaime."

Elena sighed and kissed Jaime on the forehead, before standing from the ground and with a hand on the back of her head, pushing Jaime towards her teacher.

"Have fun Jaime!" Elena called as the girl was led inside. "And I'll see you after school!"

And then Jaime was gone. And Elena forced a smile onto her face as she got back into Bonnie's car. If her heart ached so much it made her chest hurt that was no one's business but her own.

* * *

People stared as a brown-haired boy with a pair of shades and a leather jacket made his way up to the front doors of the school. He was new. They didn't get many new students here.

* * *

"Major lack of male real estate," Bonnie complained as she and Elena made their way down the corridor to their lockers. "And look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beech. She looks like a hot-" Bonnie frowned as she and Elena leant against their lockers. "Can I still say 'tranny mess'?"

"No," Elena shook her head, a frown on her face. "That's over."

"Ahh," Bonnie sighed. "Find a man, coin a phrase. It's a busy year." She opened her locker, noted Elena's frown before turning her attention to something over the girl's shoulder. Elena turned to see what Bonnie was staring at. The blonde boy by his locker was staring… longingly at Elena. She lifted her hand in a small wave, but was ignored by the boy who just slammed his locker shut.

"He hates me," she moaned, leaning her head against the metal lockers.

"That's not hate," Bonnie told Elena. "That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits'." Elena still frowned.

"And will you stop worrying about Jaime already?" Bonnie asked with an exasperated laugh. "It's her first day of pre-school. She'll be more than fine."

"I can't not worry!" Elena defended herself. "She was just so ner-"

"Elena!" Elena was cut off by a shout of her name and had only seconds to prepare herself before her arms were filled with blonde-teenager. "Oh my god."

"How are you?" the girl released Elena from her clutches. "Oh, it's so good to see you." The girl then turned to Bonnie. "How is she? Is she good? And what's that about Jaime?"

"Caroline, I'm right here." Elena drew Caroline's attention back to her. "And I'm fine. Thank you. And it's Jaime's first day of school today."

"Really?" Caroline asked of Elena, making sure she was alright.

"Yes," Elena nodded. "Much better."

"Oh, you poor thing." Caroline pulled Elena into another hug. "And Jaime! She's growing up soooo fast!"

"Ok, Caroline," Elena choked out as Caroline near strangled her. The girl thankfully let go of her quickly.

"Oh! Ok, see you guys later?" she asked. They nodded and then Caroline bounced off

"Ok! Bye!"

Bonnie looked at Elena with an amused grin. "No comment," Elena shook her head.

"I'm not going to say anything."

* * *

"Don't take more than two in a six-hour window," Elena's brother told the girl as he dropped the pills into her hand. She accepted them with a smile and threw them back.

"Hey, Vicki," a voice greeted and a black-haired boy swaggered over to the girl. "I knew I'd find you here with the crack heads."

"Hey," Vicki greeted softly, attaching herself to the boy's side.

"Hey, Pete Wentz called. He wants his nail polish back," the new-comer told Elena's brother as he smoked his joint.

"Wentz, huh?" he lowered his joint. "How old school T.R.L. of you. Carson Daly fan?"

The boy began to move forward but he was held back by Vicki. "Woah, Ty, be nice. That's Elena's little brother."

"I know who he is," 'Ty' answered Vicki. "I'll still kick his ass." With that he leans in and kisses Vicki, her hands flying up to his head and his landing on her hips. Elena's little brother just stood there, looking decidedly un-comfortable with the turn of events.

* * *

"Hold up," Bonnie stopped in the mouth of the office corridor. "Who's this?"

The brown-haired teenager with the leather jacket and the shades stood at the front desk.

"All I see is back," Elena answered.

"It's a hot back." Elena laughed at her friend.

* * *

"Your records are incomplete. You're missing immunization records, and we do insist on transcripts." The secretary listed off, shuffling the papers in her hands.

The boy she was talking to lifted a hand with a ring on it to take off his sunglasses. "Please look again." He spoke slowly, looking the woman in the eye."I'm sure everything you need is there."

The woman paused for a moment, mouth hanging slightly open before she came back to herself. "Well, you're right," she agreed, looking down at the paperwork. "So it is."

* * *

"I'm sensing Seattle." Elena gave her friend a strange look as she spoke with an intense voice. "And he plays the guitar."

"You're really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground, huh?" Elena laughed.

"Pretty much," Bonnie shrugged.

_"Jeremy, good batch, man."_

Elena heard the shout in the corridor behind her."I'll be right back." Her voice was steel as she went after Jeremy, following him into the boy's bathrooms. Bonnie stood staring at the boy in the office.

"Please be hot."

* * *

Jeremy had just dropped an eye-drop into his right eye when Elena came bursting into the bathroom.

"Whoa! Pants down, chick!" A boy leaving a stall shouted before he left, leaving the two siblings alone.

Elena grabbed her little brother's face, tilting it from side to side to look into his eyes. She was not happy with what she saw. "Great," she huffed, dropping his face. "It's the first day of school and you're stoned."

"No, I'm not," Jeremy denied.

"Where is it? Is it on you?" Elena's hands flew out, reaching into her brother's pockets, searching for his stash.

"Stop, all right! You need to chill yourself, all right!" Jeremy shouted, agitated.

"Chill myself?!" Elena asked incredulously "What is that, stoner talk? Dude, you are so cool." She went back to try and search her brother.

"Look, stop! I don't have anything on me. Are you crazy?" Jeremy continued to shout at his sister.

"You haven't seen crazy, Jeremy!" Elena ranted. "I gave you a summer pass, but I am done watching you destroy yourself." Jeremy tried to push his way past Elena, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest and pushed him back to rest in his spot leaning against the sink.

"No, no, no, you know what? Go ahead. Keep it up. But just know that I am going to be there to ruin your buzz every time, you got it? And Jaime," Elena scoffed with a shake of her head.

"You can answer her questions from now on when she wonders why you're acting strange. And there're only so many ways I can come up with to keep her out of your room." A toilet flushed and Elena leaned away from her brother as a teenager awkwardly made his way out the room.

"Jeremy, I know who you are. And it's not this person. So don't be this person."

"I don't need this," Jeremy seethed, pushing his way past his sister and out of the bathrooms. Elena watched him go, worry filling her features.

* * *

Bonnie was still stood watching the 'hot-back' boy when he finished with the secretary. "Thank you," he said, walking past Bonnie. Bonnie quickly began following him. Thank god he was hot! As he made his way down the corridor, many people turned to look at him. Caroline watched him walk by her with her lip between her teeth. He walked towards the men's room and got to the door at the exact moment that Elena walked out, turning to leave but instead of an open corridor was met with a very handsome boy.

"Uh, pardon me." Elena seemed dazed for a few moments as the boy spoke, staring at his face. "Um... is this the men's room?" he asked.

"Yes. Um, I was just, Um-I was just-" Elena floundered before sighing. "It's a long story…"

The two moved awkwardly for a moment, both moving the same way to try and get past each other. Then, the boy stepped back with an arm out, letting Elena past.

"Thank you." And then Elena was gone. The boy stared after her.

* * *

_"Once our home state of Virginia joined confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional Deep South. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the union."_

No one in the history classroom was paying attention to the lecture being given by their boring teacher. Especially not Elena and the new boy, who were exchanging looks as the teacher droned on. Elena looked away from the boy, fighting off a blush.

This was not lost on Bonnie as she stared discreetly at the new guy before pulling out her phone.

Elena's own phone buzzed only seconds later.

_**HAWT-E. STARING U.**_

Elena looked behind at her at the boy, seeing he was in fact staring at her. She hid her smile quickly before turning back to the front of the room.

* * *

Jaime walked out of the front doors of her pre-school holding tightly to the hand of her teacher. She didn't know who was getting her. Jer never would and 'Lena would be visiting Mummy and Daddy. Aunt Jenna might be coming to get her, but she didn't know.

Jaime was expecting to have to wait a while to get picked up. So she was surprised when she saw the figure leaning against his car outside her pre-school. "Hey Kiddo," he greeted and Jaime broke free from her teacher to throw herself into the boy's arms.

"Tyler!" Tyler lifted her up and held her tight.

"What you doing here?" Jaime asked, confused. Why would Tyler be here?

"Elena asked me to come pick you up and bring you back to your house." Tyler looked at the toddler with a raised eyebrow. "That cool?"

Jaime nodded her head quickly and Tyler had to laugh at the sight.

"C'mon Kiddo, let's go," Tyler said as he carried Jaime to his car, placing her in the car-seat that was sitting in the back before getting into the driver's side and putting the pre-school in the rear-view mirror.

* * *

It was the end of the school day and with her bag slung over her shoulder, Elena walked along the streets of mystic Falls. She wondered about Jaime as she walked, worrying about how her first ever day of pre-school went. She'd be home when Elena got back, she'd have to ask.

Minutes later, Elena found herself sitting with her back to a statue in the Mystic Falls cemetery. Her diary was sitting on her lap and she wrote without much care to her surroundings.

_Dear diary, I made it through the day. I must have said, "I'm fine. Thanks," at least thirty-seven times. And I didn't mean it once. But no one noticed. When someone asks, "How are you?" They really don't want an answer._

Elena looked up from her writing as a bird landed on her parent's grave. The crow cawed and Elena frowned. "Ok. Hi, bird." It stayed and Elena focused back on her journal.

"That's not creepy or anything," she muttered to herself as she continued to write.

She didn't notice the fog rolling by her feet or descending darkness until the crow cawed once again. She stood to wave her hand at the bird. "Shoo!"

The bird flew off. "That's what I thought." Elena spoke as though she'd just won a fight with someone. She turned triumphant only to jump and gasp when the cawing crow appeared on a grave right behind her.

Elena reached down slowly for her bag, keeping her eyes on the crow and once she had a grip on the bags strap, she set off quickly through the cemetery.

She stopped for a moment, looking behind her and Elena swore she saw a man standing by a grave, but when she looked closer, there was no one to be seen.

Elena wasted no more time. She set off at a run through the trees and down the hill.

"Ahh!" Elena yelled as she tripped on the last hurdle and rolled down the last of the hill. She scurried to her feet at the bottom and stared at where she'd come from. She turned to continue her run but was stopped by the form of the new boy standing only a few feet from her.

"You ok?" he asked, frowning worriedly.

Elena nodded panting. She pointed a hand behind her in a vague direction. "Were you following me?"

"No," he shakes his head. "I-uh, I-uh just — I saw you fall."

"Uh-huh," Elena shook her head. "And you just happened to be... hanging out in a cemetery."

"I'm visiting," he explained. "I- uh have family here."

"Oh." Elena only then seemed to realise what she'd sounded like. "Wow. Tactless. I'm sorry. It's the fog, it's making me foggy. And then back there, there was this - this bird, and it was all very Hitchcock for a second. That is the bird movie, right, the Hitchcock?" Elena ranted without pause, slightly hysterical. The boy just looked at her fondly. Elena chuckled at the situation."I'm Elena."

"I'm Stefan," he introduced himself.

"I know," Elena nodded a broad smile on her face. "We have History together."

"And English and French," Stefan quickly listed off.

"Right." Elena's voice was oft. Stefan was just… breath-taking.

Said breath-taking boy made a small noise before he reached a hand out to Elena. She was confused for a moment before he got to her hair and tenderly pulled a leaf out of it. He dropped it to the ground.

"Thanks," Elena smiled and the two shared a gentle and tender look. She looked down and then saw a ring on Stefan's hand. "Nice ring."

"Oh." Stefan bought his hand up to twist the ring on his finger. It was old looking, slightly large and made of what appeared to be a coloured stone surrounded in metal. "It's a family ring, yeah." That explained the... Old-ness. "I'm kinda stuck with it. It's weird, huh?" Stefan asked.

"No, no." Elena was quick to reassure him. "It's just, I mean, there are rings and then there's... that."

Stefan smiled for a moment before he frowned, looking down at the ground. Elena frowned in curiosity.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Stefan suddenly asked, worry in his features.

"Hmm?" Elena was confused herself.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Stefan repeated his question, prompting Elena to look down at herself.

"Oh, uh, I don't know." Elena walked over to the closest gravestone and rested her leg on it. She pulled up the leg of her jeans and saw her injury. The cut on her leg was leaking blood.

"Oh!" Pain was setting in as adrenaline faded. "Would you look at that! That is not pretty."

Stefan turned his back to Elena and his eyes seemed to darken. Dark veins began to show beneath his eyes that steadily grew darker.

"Are you ok?" Elena asked him, confused about his behaviour.

"You should go," Stefan told her, his back still facing her. "Take care of that."

"Really, it's nothing," Elena assured him as she put the leg of her jeans back down, but when she turned to face him… he was gone.

* * *

Stefan sat at his desk, writing in his journal.

_I lost control today. Everything I've kept buried inside, came rushing to the surface. I'm simply not able to resist her._

He looked to the green journal that sat on his desk.

* * *

"Hey," Jeremy greeted as he rounded to come up to Vicki's left side in the Mystic Grill.

"Working," was his curt reply as Vicki took the trays of food and went out to wait tables.

She walked over to a table where Tyler sat with the blonde boy who was pining after Elena.

"Thanks, Vick," he said softly to the girl.

Vicki turned to look at Tyler, heatedly."Do you need another refill?"

"I'd love one," he replied and Vicki took his glass and walked off. Tyler turned to watch her as she left.

"Please tell me you're not hooking up with my sister," the blonde implored to his best friend.

"I'm not hooking up with your sister." Tyler shook his head. Lie.

"You're such a dick," the blonde groaned, looking into his fries.

"Where were you after school anyway man?" he asked Tyler.

"Picking up Jaime," Tyler answered with no hint of affection in his voice. "Favour for Elena."

* * *

Jeremy fell into step with Vicki as she walked from her brother's table to her station to get Tyler his refill.

"Hey, what's your deal?" he questioned. "I mean, summer you act one way and then school starts and you can't be bothered."

"Look Jeremy," Vicki sounded like she could not be bothered dealing with the young teenager right now. "I really appreciate all the pharmaceuticals, but you can't keep following me around like a lost puppy." She kept her eyes off Jeremy.

"When's the last time you had sex with a puppy?!" Jeremy asked loudly. Vicki hurriedly shushed him as though the entire contents of the Grill had heard him.

"Hey, keep it down," she hissed quietly, looking into his eyes. "I don't want to tell the whole world I deflowered Elena's kid brother."

"Yeah, and deflowered and deflowered." Jeremy sounded bored of the same argument and slightly desperate, his voice laced with need.

"We hooked up a few times in a drug haze," Vicki justified herself. "It's over. You gotta back off before you ruin things between me and Tyler."

"Come on Vicki," he groaned. "The guy's a total douche."

"He's round at your house often enough," Vicki pointed out and Jeremy ignored her pointedly.

"He only wants you for your ass."

"Yeah?" Vicki again looked in Jeremy's eyes. "And what do you want me for?"

Vicki grabbed a new order and walked past Jeremy, bumping into him purposely as she walked by him. Jeremy just sighed as she walked away.

* * *

"His name is Stefan Salvatore," Caroline reported as she and Bonnie walked through the Grill. As Caroline talked, her hand moved in its ever constant flourish. "He lives with uncle up at the old Salvatore boarding house. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favourite colour is blue." Caroline turned to Bonnie looking very pleased with herself.

"You got all that in one day?" Bonnie asked incredulously.

"Oh, please," Caroline flicked her hand at Bonnie. "I got all that between third and fourth period." Caroline paused to place a smirk on her face. "We're planning a June wedding."

And then she turned and with a wave to someone in front of her, walked away from Bonnie to say hello to some other friends.

* * *

"I'm meeting Bonnie at the grill," Elena told Jenna as they walked past each other in the lounge room. Jenna had Jaime perched on her hip.

"Ok have fun," she said nonchalantly before she paused and turned. "Wait, I got this." Jenna paused to gather her words. "Don't stay out late, it's a school night." She finished the order putting her free hand on her hip.

"Well done, Aunt Jenna," Elena congratulated and Jenna just held up a hand to her as she walked into the kitchen to make Jaime her dinner.

Elena went to the front door and opened it about to step out when - "Oh," she gasped.

"Sorry," Stefan Salvatore apologised from where he graced her front porch. "I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was . . . strange." Stefan finished his apology with a smile.

"No worries," Elena accepted the apology with a smile. "I get it. Blood makes you squeamish." Stefan ignored the irony of the statement.

"Um, something like that." He tried to ignore the irony of the statement. "How's your leg?" he asked her to switch his thought pattern.

"Oh, it's fine. Just a scratch, barely." Elena then frowned. "How did you know where I lived?"

"It's a small town," Stefan told her with a slight hesitation. "I asked the first person I saw." Elena just nodded so Stefan reached into his pocket and pulled out Elena's familiar green journal. "I thought you might want this back." Stefan handed it to her and she took it carefully afraid it would fall apart from too heavy a touch.

"I must have dropped it." Elena hadn't even realised it was gone. "I-thank you."

"Don't worry, I didn't . . . read it." Stefan shook his head with a frown as Elena looked back up at him.

"No? Why not?" Elena questioned with a chuckle. "Most people would have."

"Well," he looked at Elena with a small smile. "I wouldn't want anyone to read mine."

"You keep a journal?" Elena asked hushed, surprised.

"Yeah," Stefan answered easily. "If I don't write it down, I forget it. Memories are... too important." Stefan let the statement hang in the air with a meaningful look to the girl before him.

"Yeah," Elena breathed out before she collected herself. "I'm just gonna..." she pointed over her shoulder to show she was going to put her journal inside."You don't have to stay out there," she told him before she disappeared.

Stefan took only one step closer to the house's threshold before he stopped, placing his hands on the door frame.

"I'm fine!" he called to her. A soft padding noise reached his ears and Stefan looked down as he saw a small figure appear in the crack of the door.

Jaime Gilbert was dressed in her pyjamas - a blue and grey striped jumpsuit. She held a small worn teddy in one hand as the other clutched the door as she half hid behind it. "Hello," she greeted so quietly Stefan strained to hear it.

"Hi," Stefan greeted back softly and bent to be at the child's height.

"Who you?" Jamie asked him. She'd never seen him before.

"I'm Stefan," he replied with a smile. "What's your name?"

"I-" Just as Jaime was about to answer, Elena appeared back in the doorway and grabbed the toddler, taking her back to their aunt in the kitchen. Stefan stood up as Elena reappeared. She had a jumper and a bag in her hands.

"Sorry," Stefan apologised needlessly. "Were you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting a friend." Elena paused and took a step closer to Stefan. "Do you want to come?" she asked softly.

Stefan smiled in response.

* * *

"How's Elena doing?" the blonde asked Bonnie as they sat at a table in the Grill.

"Her mom and dad died," Bonnie answered solemnly. "How do you think? She's got so much more on her plate now with Jaime and Jeremy. She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months."

"Has she said anything about me?"

"Oh no." Bonnie shook her head. "So not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her."

"I feel weird calling her," he admitted. "She broke up with me." He looked sad as he said those words.

"Give it more time, Matt," was the only response Bonnie could think of. Bonnie's eyes flickered to the door over Matt's shoulder and Matt turned to follow what Bonnie was seeing. Elena and Stefan walking into the grill with each other. Caroline, who was talking to Tyler, openly stared and Tyler himself turned to look at the commotion. No one saw the frown that appeared on his face.

"More time, huh?" he asked bitterly before standing up to walk to Elena and Stefan. Caroline and Tyler watched on from near the pool tables.

"Hey, I'm Matt," he introduced himself, sticking his hand out for Stefan to shake. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Stefan." Stefan shook Matt's hand.

"Hey." Elena looked at Matt with a soft smile.

"Hey." Matt tried not to let Elena see his sorrow.

* * *

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Ever the gossip monger, Caroline questioned Stefan as she, Elena and Bonnie sat at a table.

"Mm-Hmm," Stefan nodded. "And moved when I was still young."

"Parents?" Bonnie asked with a smile on her face.

It took a second for Stefan t respond. "My parents passed away."

Bonnie's smile faded.

"I'm sorry." Elena was sympathetic as she stared at Stefan who nodded his thanks for her sympathy. "Any siblings?"

"None that I talk to." Stefan was just looking at Elena now as he explained. "I live with my uncle."

"So Stefan," Caroline perkily drew Stefan's attention away from Elena. "If you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow."

"It's a back to school thing at the falls," bonnie explained to the teenager and Stefan's eyes went straight back to Elena.

"Are you going?" he asked her.

"Of course she is," Bonnie answered for her.

Elena looked into Stefan's eyes and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

* * *

At the Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan was in his room puling on a t-shirt when a man entered holding a newspaper. "You promised," he said angrily as he offered the newspaper to Stefan. Stefan snatched it from his hands.

Two pictures lay on the page: Darren Mulloy and Brooke Fenton.

_**BODIES FOUND MUTILATED BY ANIMAL**_

_Two local resident reported missing were found dead after police discovered their abandoned vehicle on Highway_

"This was an animal attack," Stefan frowned as he handed the newspaper back.

"Don't give me that," the man spoke without shouting but ager flooded his words as he pointed at Stefan. "I know the game. You tear them up enough they always suspect an animal attack. You said you had it under control."

"And I do," Stefan's voice was equally as steely and the 'older' man submitted to the boy before him, looking down at the newspaper in his hands.

"Please Uncle Stefan," Stefan's 'uncle' pleaded his own uncle. "Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember. And you being here, it's just going to stir things up."

"It's not my intention."

"Then what is?" the man raised his voice. "Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?!"

"I don't have to explain myself," Stefan faced his nephew and his voice held authority.

"I know that you can't change what you are. But you don't belong here anymore." Stefan looked down at his nephew's words.

"Where do I belong?" Stefan asked him.

"I can't tell you what to do," the man resigned himself to that fact. "But coming back here was a mistake." Stefan's nephew left the room, chucking the newspaper down as he stormed out.

Stefan walked across the room and pulled open the doors of a cabinet. A cabinet filled with journals. Ignoring all the others, he pulled out a red leather bound journal. Opening the cover he looked at the picture inside. The picture of what looked to be Elena Gilbert. But it wasn't.

_Katherine 1864_

* * *

So there it was.

Part 1 of Episode 1

Hope you guys enjoyed it.

If you liked it, review.

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Thanks,

Jessie-J


	3. Pilot - Part 2

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" the history teacher asked the question of his bored students. "Miss. Bennett?"

"Um," Bonnie struggled to think of an answer. "A lot? I'm not sure, but like a whole lot."

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett," the teacher reprimanded Bonnie and she looked down in shame.

"Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

"It's ok Mr. Tanner," Matt answered. "I'm cool with it."

"Hmm." Mr Tanner frowned at the laughs.

"Elena?" he turned to her who looked half dead in her seat. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"

"I'm sorry," Elena answered tiredly. "I-I don't know."

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena," Mr. Tanner ground out, pointing a fist at Elena. "But the personal excuses ended with summer break."

There was silence for a moment as Elena looked down frowning, trying to stay awake. Or at least silence until -

"There were 346 casualties," Stefan answered easily. "Unless you're counting the local civilians."

"That's correct." Tanner seemed surprised. "Mister...?"

"Salvatore," Stefan answered.

"Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

It took a moment for Stefan to answer. "Distant."

"Well very good. Except," Mr. Tanner turned to his class and spoke loudly, in case they didn't hear his display of knowledge. "Of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

"Actually, there were 27, sir," Stefan stared at Tanner as he turned to face his obviously smart student. "Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss." Stefan paused for a moment and half the class stared at him, impressed. "The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts." Every student laughed at that, especially with his next words. "Mr. Tanner."

Mr. Tanner just frowned again.

* * *

At 'The Falls', the party was already raging when Stefan arrived. He looked around for a moment, searching for Elena. When he couldn't see her, he looked down and concentrated, letting the noises surrounding him filter through his brain. He listened to the gossiping girls, the sex-fuelled boys and the couple kissing by the fire until he heard two familiar voices. Bonnie and Elena.

_"Just admit it, Elena."_

"_Oh, ok, so he's a little pretty."_

"_He has that romance novel stare."_

Stefan raised an eyebrow at that.

_"Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul!"_

Stefan was knocked out of listening to Bonnie's romance novel voice by the arrival of Caroline. "Hey! You made it!"

"I did," Stefan smirked.

"Well, let's get you a drink." Caroline couldn't have been flirting any harder if she tried.

"Well, I'm-" Stefan tried to make an excuse, but was stopped as Caroline grabbed his hand and dragged him off.

"Oh, come on."

* * *

"So where is he?" Bonnie asked, looking around.

"I don't even have the energy to not know," Elena groaned, looking very tired.

"Why are you so tired?!" Bonnie asked with a laugh. Elena had been like a walking zombie all day.

"Jaime," she said. "She was all excited because I asked Tyler to pick her up, then she was complaining non-stop about pre-school _and _then she was up all night having nightmares."

Bonnie winced, familiar with Jaime's nightmares. "So anyway, where Mr. Romance Novel?" she repeated her question with a giggle.

"You tell me," Elena answered. "You're the psychic one."

"Right, I forgot," Bonnie realised. "Ok, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate." Bonnie mocked her Grams' words.

"Wait," Elena pointed at Bonnie. "You need a crystal ball."

Elena looked around her and then made a triumphant noise, bending down to the ground to pick up a beer bottle. "Ta da!"

Bonnie gripped the beer bottle in Elena's hand and her eyes snapped open. She spaced out, staring at nothing and not noticing Elena's frown. She yanked her hand back quickly.

"What?" Elena asked.

"That was weird," Bonnie's voice was quiet. "When I touched you, I saw a crow."

Elena thought back to the cemetery yesterday. "What?"

"A crow. There was fog, a man," Bonnie's voice was lofty and she didn't noticed Elena's freaked out look as she described a familiar scene.

"I'm drunk. It's the drinking," Bonnie panicked. "There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm gonna get a refill."

"Ok? Bonnie!" Elena yelled after her friend as she hurried off.

Elena turned away from her friend and only just managed to restrain her shock jumped. "Hi," Stefan greeted from right next to her.

Elena closed her eyes for a moment with a laugh."Hi."

"I did it again, didn't I?" Stefan asked with a resigned look.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry," he apologised and watched as Elena's smile began to fade. "You're upset about something."

"Oh, uh, no, it's- it's just Bonnie. She's…" Elena thought of a way to phrase the problem, but came up with nothing. She put a genuine smile back on her face. "You know what? Never mind. You're... here."

"I'm here." and the pair again stared into each others' eyes.

* * *

At the party, Tyler began to drag Vicki away from the crowds. Jeremy watched on jealously with a beer bottle in his hand.

* * *

"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town," Elena remarked as she and Stefan walked alone along a bridge by the Falls party.

"Am I?"

"Mm-Hmm," Elena confirmed. "Mysterious new guy, oh yeah." Elena laughed and smiled at the look on Stefan's face.

"Well, you have the mysterious thing going, too," Stefan said. "Twinged in sadness."

"What makes you think that I'm sad?" Elena looked down as she asked. She barely knew Stefan and he seemed to just… know her.

"Well, we did meet in a graveyard."

"Right." A small smile bloomed on Elena's face. "Well, no, technically we met in the men's room." The happiness from the joke quickly faded and Elena sighed. "You don't want to know. It's...it's not exactly party chit-chat."

"Well, I've never really been very good at, uh, chit-chat."

"Last spring," Elena began. "My parents' car drove off of a bridge into the lake. And I was in the backseat and I survived but...they didn't. So that's my story."

Elena felt Stefan stop walking next to her and turned to face him. "You won't be sad forever, Elena."

* * *

In the woods by the party, two people were making out against a tree. "No, Ty," Vicki laughed. "I'm not having sex against a tree."

"Oh, come on, it would be hot," Tyler asked not drawing his attention away from where he kissed Vicki's neck.

"For who?" Vicki asked. Neither of them noticed Jeremy walking through the woods. Tyler continued his plight. "No, it's not going to happen," Vicki laughed still. "It's not going to happen, not here, not like this." But then Tyler didn't stop and Vicki's voice grew panicked.

"No. I said no. I said no! Ow, that hurts!"

"Hey leave her alone!" Jeremy appeared and stood a few feet away from Tyler and Vicki. Tyler allowed Vicki to push him away.

"You know you're starting to get on my nerves Gilbert," Tyler said as he began to walk towards Jeremy.

"And I'm sure Elena would love to hear about what you've been up to," Jeremy shot back and Tyler's step faltered.

"Just go Tyler! Get the hell away from me!" Vicki shouted at him, standing closer to Jeremy.

"Wow," Tyler scoffed. "Vicki Donovan says no. That's a first."

Tyler left quickly after that.

"I didn't need your help," Vicki told Jeremy, trying to be annoyed.

"It seems like you did."

"He was just drunk," Vicki defended Tyler.

"I'm drunk," Jeremy shot the defence down. "Am I throwing myself at you?"

"No, you're worse," Vicki began. "You want to talk to me, get to know me, see into my soul and screw and screw and screw until you're done with me."

"Is that what you think?" Jeremy asked, shocked.

"That's what I know," Vicki said upset, walking off and leaving Jeremy alone in the words.

* * *

"I like Bonnie; she seems like a good friend."

Stefan and Elena were standing on the bridge talking.

"Best friend in the world," Elena agreed with a smile.

"And Matt," Stefan broached the topic. "He can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of us."

"Matt's that friend since childhood," Elena explained. "That you start dating because you owe it to yourselves to see if you can be more."

"And?" Stefan asked.

"And then my parents died," Elena sighed. "And everything changes. Anyway, Matt and I, together we just, I don't know, it wasn't, um...it wasn't…" Elena struggled to find the right words.

"Passionate?" Stefan suggested the words, staring into Elena's eyes.

"No," Elena agreed, staring right back. "No, it wasn't passionate…"

The moment was perfect until Stefan felt a creeping under his eyes and he knew they were darkening as veins spread underneath them.

"Hey, um, are you ok?" Elena asked. "Um, your eye, it just, it's-"

Stefan turned away slightly, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "Oh, um... Yeah, no. It's, um, it's nothing. Um, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink."

And then Stefan was gone.

* * *

Vicki walked drunkenly through the forest. It was silent, until she heard a noise. She turned quickly to face the way behind her, taking note of the rolling fog. "Jeremy?" she called. "Is that you?"

Hearing no reply, she kept moving. She didn't notice the man standing behind her. She turned again, thinking she'd heard a noise. But she saw no one. She called again, "Jeremy?"

Again no reply, so she turns around. She didn't notice the man standing behind her until it was too late.

Vicki Donovan screamed.

* * *

Elena stood in the middle of the party, heading looking left and right as she searched the crowds. She didn't even hear Matt approach.

"Looking for someone?" he asked.

There was silence for a moment as Elena quietly said, "Hey."

Stefan a little way away walked out of the tree line and turned his attention to the pair.

"When you broke up with me," Matt began. "You said it was because you needed some time alone. You don't look so alone to me."

"Matt," Elena floundered for an answer. "You don't understand. It's-"

"That's ok, Elena." Matt cut her off. "You do what you have to do. I just want to let you know that...I still believe in us. And I'm not giving up on that."

"Matt!" Elena called after him as he walked away.

Stefan, noticing Elena's sad expression, went to walk to her, but was cut off by Caroline.

"Hey!" she greeted, standing close to him. "There you are. Have you been down to the falls yet? Because they are really cool at night. And I can show you," Caroline paused and bit her lip with her teeth, glancing up at Stefan. "If you want."

"I think you've had too much to drink."

"Well, of course I have," Caroline laughed, before she continued with her flirting. "So-"

"Caroline," Stefan cut her off gently. "You and me, it's not gonna happen. Sorry."

Stefan walked slowly towards the shelter and met up with Elena who was sitting on the handrail, having finally found Stefan.

"I was wondering who abducted you," she stated with a smirk and a laugh. "But now I know."

Stefan chuckled. "Is she like that with, uh, all the guys?"

"No. You're fresh meat," Elena explained. "She'll back off eventually."Elena's smile faded as she noticed something over Stefan's shoulder. "God, you gotta be kidding me!"

"What is it?" Stefan asked.

"My brother," Elena answered as she watched Jeremy walk off into the woods with a beer.

"The drunk one?" Stefan asked.

"That would be the one," Elena sighed as she hopped off her perch. "Excuse me."

"Need some help?" Stefan called after her.

"Trust me," Elena yelled over her shoulder. "You're not going to want to witness this. Jeremy!"

* * *

"Jeremy!" Elena yelled as she followed her brother through a clearing in the woods.

"Jeremy, where the hell are you going?!"

"I don't want to hear it! Why don't you go bother Tyler and ask him what he's been up to?!" Jeremy yelled over his shoulder, seconds before he tripped over something un-seen…

And landed right on top of the still and bloody body of Vicki Donovan.

"Vicki?" Jeremy asked in a panic. "No! Oh my god, it's Vicki!"

"Oh, my god!" Elena ran a hand through her hair.

"No!" Jeremy yelled in a whisper, reaching to touch Vicki, whose eyes snapped open with a yell.

* * *

"Somebody help!" Elena yelled as she and Jeremy re-entered the party, Vicki in Jeremy's arms.

"Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?!" Matt rushed forward as his sister was laid down on a table, Tyler not far behind him. People crowded round to try and see what was going on.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Matt yelled as Tyler pushed everyone away from them.

"Everybody back up! Give her some space!"

"It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood," Elena yelled over the commotion and a nearby boy handed her a shirt which she placed on the wound in Vicki's neck.

"Vicki, Vicki, come on, open your eyes, look at me." Matt's words had no effect on the unconscious girl and Matt looked up into the crowd.

Stefan was staring at the scene, and Matty frowned at him, even as Stefan quickly left the party.

* * *

"What's going on?" Zach asked as Stefan came running through the doors of the boarding house.

"Someone else was attacked tonight Zach and it wasn't me." Stefan answered as he ran up stairs and into his bedroom.

Stefan entered his bedroom and froze. Something felt off. He turned towards his balcony doors. His _open_ balcony doors and stared as a crow flew in and landed on the rafters in the room. Stefan slowly turned again to face the balcony doors, and the now occupied balcony.

"Damon."

Damon just smirked.

"Hello, brother."

* * *

"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Stefan asked as Damon made his way to Stefan's desk, fiddling with its contents as he answered.

"Wait till you see what I can do with the fog."

"When'd you get here?" Stefan's voice was cold and there was a frown plastered on his face. His eyes followed his brother's every move as he wandered the room.

"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school," Damon answered jokingly. "Your hair's different. I like it."

"It's been 15 years, Damon."

"Thank God." Damon sounded relieved. "I couldn't take another day of the nineties." Damon began to walk around the room.

"That horrible grunge look?" he chuckled. "Did not suit you. Remember Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."

"Why are you here?" Stefan all but shouted in his desperation.

"I miss my little brother," Damon supplied.

"You hate small towns. It's boring. There's nothing for you to do," Stefan contradicted Damon's statement.

"I've managed to keep myself busy," Damon smirked.

"You know you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you."

"Ah," Damon huffed as he leant against a chest of draws. "That could be a problem...for you."

"Why are you here now?"

"I could ask you the same question." Damon walked towards his little brother. "However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all into one little word…"

Damon smiled a sadistic smile.

"Elena."

* * *

At the party, Matt jumped into an ambulance containing Vicki just before it drove off. Elena watched on with a sigh,

"Hey," Bonnie's voice was wobbly as she greeted Elena. "We're gonna go to Mainline Coffee. Wait for news."

"I gotta take Jeremy home," Elena answered the un-spoken question.

"Elena," Bonnie stared hard at her best friend. "There's no way I'm psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling…" Bonnie trailed off.

"Bonnie, what?" Elena asked, worried for her friend and at her friend's words.

"That it's just the beginning," Bonnie finished in a haunting voice.

She seemed to almost shake the 'creepy' off her though as she asked Elena again. "You sure you don't want to-"

"I gotta take Jer-" Elena cut herself off with a frown, remembering something her brother had said earlier. "Actually, I have to talk to Tyler first."

And with that Elena determinedly stormed off to find the brown-haired boy.

* * *

Tyler sat on a table a little away from all the authorities, nursing a beer.

"What did Jeremy mean?" Elena's voice had his head snapping up.

"What're you talking about?" Tyler asked confused.

"Jeremy," Elena explained as she walked to stand in front of the boy. "He said to ask you what you've been up to."

Elena paused for a second before she said bitchily. "Other than Vicki Donovan."

Tyler choked back a laugh and nearly dropped his beer. "Are you jealous?!" he asked incredulously.

"No," Elena quickly answered with a shake of her head. "Seriously Tyler," she dragged the conversation back into her court. "What was Jeremy walking about?"

"I was drunk," Tyler vaguely explained with a wave of his hand as he out his beer down. "I did something slightly stupid… I was drunk…"

"What did you do?!" Elena asked again, voice sharp.

"ItriedtohavesexwithVickiagainstatree," Tyler mumbled his answer. Elena heard it none the less.

"Seriously?!" Elena ran her hands through her hair. "I can't believe you would do that Tyler!"

"I was drunk!" he defended himself.

"And I don't care!" Elena shot back. "You can't just do that."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Tyler shot back, standing in his annoyance and moving to pass the girl.

"I'm not," Elena caught his arm. "I'm telling you because I care!"

"Well then I can tell you to stay away from Stefan," Tyler quipped back with raised eyebrows.

"What?!" Elena spluttered.

"He's creepy. I don't like him and I want him away from-"

"Then I want you away from Vicki," Elena met his statement with her own, eyebrows raised. "It's bad enough Jeremy's around her. Don't want you around her to."

"You can't tell me what do with my life!"

"And you can't tell me what to do with mine!"

The two were inches away from each other and eyes un-consciously glanced down at lips as they panted from the effort it took to shout at one another.

"Please Ty," Elena whispered and it pulled at Tyler's heartstrings. "Don't do anything stupid that could hurt h-"

"I won't," Tyler answered back. He then quickly leaned into place a tender kiss on her cheek which lingered for a moment, before Tyler walked off.

* * *

"She took my breath away. Elena." Damon walked around Stefan's room. "She's a dead ringer for Katherine."

"Is it working, Stefan?" Damon asked. "Being around her, being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?"

"She's not Katherine," Stefan ground out quietly.

"Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended." Damon tilted his head to the side.

"Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?" he finished with a smirk.

"I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not gonna work." Stefan turned away from his brother.

"Yeah?" Damon slapped Stefan's arm, turning him to face him once more. "Come on. Don't you crave a little?"

"Stop it."

"Let's do it." Damon started hitting Stefan, pushing him back slightly. "Together. I saw a couple girls out there." Hit. "Or just, let's just cut to the chase," Hit. "Let's just go straight for Elena."

Stefan pushed Damon away from him with both hands as he shouted, "Stop it!"

"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" Damon shouted.

Stefan turned away from his brother as he felt his face begin to change.

"I can."

"I said stop!" Stefan roared as he took two steps before he flew at his brother, tackling him through the window and onto the driveway below. When Stefan landed, he was alone. When he stood up, he was still alone.

"I was impressed," Stefan turned to his right. Leaning against a low wall was his big brother. "I give it a six. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised," Damon judged.

"Very good with the whole face, ARGHARGHARGH, thing. It was good," Damon laughed.

"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh?" Stefan moved closer to his brother. "But wherever you go people die."

"That's a given," Damon stated as though that were obvious.

"Not here." Stefan shook his head. "I won't allow it."

"I take that as an invitation."

"Damon please," Stefan implored his brother. "After all these years can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan's voice sounded strained, as though he was holding back tears.

"I promised you an eternity of misery," Damon reminded him. "So I'm just keeping my word."

"Just stay away from Elena."

"Where's your ring?" Damon ignored the demand as he looked to Stefan's hand with a large frown on his face. Stefan looked down at his hand and touched the empty spot on his finger where his ring was meant to lay. "Oh, yeah. Sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes."

Stefan just looked mildly distressed, causing Damon to release a short laugh. "Relax," he said, walking forward with his hand held out. "It's right here."

Stefan looked down at his ring lying in his brother's palm. The tears were just visible in his eyes. He reached out slowly and took it, only being given a moment to slide it back on his finger before Damon grabbed him by the neck and threw him across the driveway and into the doors of the garage.

Stefan rolled to a stop and looked up at Damon who stood next to him "You should know better than to think you're stronger than me," Damon warned harshly. "You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." Damon threatened his brother with a casual ease and a blood-thirsty expression on his face. This immediately fell when he heard a noise coming from the house.

"I think we woke Zach up," he mused with a smile on his face before he turned and headed back towards the house. "Sorry, Zach," he called as he whistled and walked.

* * *

Back at the party, Jeremy sat and drank a beer as he watched the authorities do the last of the clean up.

"You ok?" Elena asked as she walked up to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and Jeremy quickly shrugged it off, refusing to meet his sister's eye.

"I called Jenna, she's on her way." Jeremy still stayed silent.

"Those people in uniforms, last time I checked, they're the police," Elena began. Jeremy just chugged the rest of his beer before chucking the empty bottle behind him. "People are going to stop giving you breaks Jer. They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that our parents are dead, because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try too."

"I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your diary." Jeremy's voice shook and he suddenly sounded every inch the young teenager he was. "Is that-is that supposed to be you moving on?" he asked.

"Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this," was the only thing Elena could say as the siblings fell into silence.

* * *

"Are you sober yet?" Bonnie asked Caroline as they sat at a table in the Mystic Grill.

Caroline lifted her pale face from her hands and stared at Bonnie for a moment. "No," Caroline groaned, dropping her face back in her hands.

"Keep drinking," Bonnie instructed. "I gotta get you home. I gotta get me home."

"Why didn't he go for me? You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?" Caroline asked suddenly in pitiful voice and bonnie just shook her head.

"I'm not touching that."

"I'm inappropriate," Caroline continued. "I always say the wrong thing. And," she paused. "Elena always says the right thing." Bonnie sighed.

"She doesn't even try!" Caroline complained. "And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try, so hard and... I'm never the one."

"It's not a competition Caroline," Bonnie tried to comfort the blonde and there was silence for a moment.

"Yeah, it is."

* * *

In the hospital, Vicki lay unconscious on a bed with Matt sitting in a chair beside her. Vicki's eyes fluttered and Matt's own widened as his sister woke up.

"Vicki," matt whispered. "Hey. Hey, it's ok. You're gonna be ok."

"Matt," Vicki croaked.

"Hey, don't try to talk ok? You're fine," Matt whispered again.

Vicki ignored the instruction as she croaked out, "Vampire."

* * *

_Dear diary, _Elena wrote as she sat on her window seat._ I couldn't have been more wrong. I thought that I could smile, nod my way through it; pretend like it would all be ok._

**I had a plan. **Stefan in his room wound up the diary containing Katherine's picture and placed it on his desk before he left the room. **I wanted to change who I was; create a life as someone new, someone without the past.**

_Without the pain._

_**Someone alive.**_

_But it's not that easy._ Jenna stood silently in the doorway as she stared at Jeremy, who stared at the picture in his hands. The picture of his dead parents. _The bad things stay with you._

**They follow you. **Upstairs in her room, Jaime tossed and turned with sweat plastering her hair to her forehead, caught in the wicked arms of a nightmare.

**You can't escape them, as much as you want to. **At the Grill, Bonnie got up and left leaving Caroline in perfect view of a black-haired, blue-eyed man. He smiled at her and she smiled widely back.

_All you can do is be ready for the good. So when it comes, you invite it in, because you need it. I need it. _ Elena sensed something and turned her head to look out her window. Stefan Salvatore was standing in her yard. She quickly went to get up when she heard a noise from the hallway. She turned back to the window and held up a single finger.

Quickly, Elena padded down the corridor to Jaime's room and dodging flailing limbs, picked her up to cradle her gently. Jaime mumbled loudly, twitching and jerking lightly but she stayed asleep, still caught in her nightmare. Elena made her way downstairs with her sister.

"I know it's late," Stefan said, speaking quietly when he saw who lay (still jerking around) in Elena's arms, as she opened the door with her free hand. "But, uh… I needed to know that you were ok."

"You know," Elena whispered, feeling Jaime's movements - calmed slightly from the walking- and began to bounce her lightly. "For months, that's all anyone's wondered about me. If I'll be ok."

"What do you tell them?"

"That I'll be fine."

"Do you ever mean it?"

Elena thought for a moment. "Ask me tomorrow." Stefan smiled lightly.

"It's warmer in the house," Elena said as he stepped out of the doorway. "I'll just put this one back to bed and we can talk. Would you like to come in?"

Stefan smiled happily. "Yes."

Elena closed the door behind him.


End file.
